Llawhaden Bridge and River Bank Wall

Cadw's description

Location

On Eastern Cleddau ½ km E of Llawhaden Village

History

Llawhaden bridge appears as a small detail in Buck's 1740 engraving of the castle, and appears then to have been of five arches. It was built or rebuilt by the Skyrme family of Llawhaden House. It was probably much altered or again rebuilt at the time they set up the adjacent corn mill in 1765, when a new left-bank road was formed.

The bridge was in 'great decay' when John Rees of Nevern contracted to repair it in 1809. His contract with the County included seven years maintenance and amounted to £190. He was to rebuild the adjacent river bank walls and the parapet of the bridge. He was also to form a new arch beneath the commencement of the road towards Robeston Wathen to drain the adjacent large fields which, perhaps as a result of ill-considered previous work, had become seriously liable to flooding. The contract did not include the rebuilding of the arches.

The late C19 O.S. map suggests the bridge then retained its C18 form and consisted of three arches, the W arch being set slightly apart from the other two over the tailrace of the mill. Local information suggests further extensive work in the present century, at least on the N face; some reduction of the W pier and reconstruction of the W arch is also possible. Since the cessation of milling the tailrace has dried up and the W arch is now simply a land-arch.

It appears from this that the Llawhaden Bridge now consists of three main arches basically of c.1765, with parapets and approach road works of 1809 including the extra drainage arch and river bank walls, and with modern repairs.

Exterior

A bridge of three main arches and, in the SE wing, an additional small arch for land drainage. The central arch is of about 10 m span, with the flanking arches a little lower and narrower. The bridge carriageway is 4.5 m between the parapets. The main arches are in ashlar limestone, with deep voussoirs and projecting keystones. There are cutwaters to the two piers with pedestrian refuges over. At the N side is a stile with steps down to the grounds of the old corn mill. Additional modern protective masonry has been added to the foot of the E pier, which is the only one standing entirely in the water. The parapet walls have been brought to a flat top but the coping is only of rubble.

At the ends the parapets turn outwards. At E the parapet blends with the river bank wall and parapet extending over 100 m northward. The drainage arch under the S extension of the parapet is of about 2.5 m span.

Reason for designation

Listed II* as an early bridge of fine vernacular character.

Ancient Monument Pe23.